We left Merida for day trips to Progresso and the gulf coast. Progresso itself was sparsely populated. This gave the whole area a very tranquil, if deserted, feel. Perfect for birding! The sand was clean and white and warm. The place was lovely, in a word. We took off our shoes and strolled along the shore, in full vacation mode. We never stop birding.
Here we saw a whole flock of Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) feeding quietly in the shallow water. We did not take a camera along with us on this vacation. We obviously regret that now, but the idea its being a foreign trip, getting by speaking the Spanish language, and birding like mad with all these new Life Birds... this vacation was going to be complicated. That was a given. Toting along a camera as well would have complicated things further, we thought. Ah, well.
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While driving on a deserted road next to the Gulf of Mexico, we were stopped briefly by the Mexican Federal Police, los federales. Robert explained that we were observing birds. The soldier indicated that the car directly in front of us was also full of birders. Everyone was birding.
When we bird, looking for birds, we poke around the strangest places. Birds can be anywhere. In the Mangrove swamps around Progresso, we saw the Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus Gilvus), foraging for insects in the vegetation. This bird is in the same family as the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus Polyglottos) that we know in Tennessee. This one is browner, larger and has yellow eyes.
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We wanted to move again, so we packed up and headed west. We are heading a generally western direction from Cancun, where we landed in Mexico. Then to Valladolid, making daytrips north and south from the main highway. Then over further to Izumal and Ricardo. Then to Merida, the big city. North briefly to Progresso. And now straight west to the coast at Celestun. We will head soouth from there to Campeche. To get your bearings, here is a small map of this lovely part of Mexico.
Robert and Berry
photos courtesy of kootation, globe-trotters.ch
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